Preparation and properties of Zn-Cd films from non-aqueous colloids

Bimetallic films of Zn-Cd have been prepared from colloids using several organic solvents: acetone, 2-butanone, THF, 2-propanol and 2-methoxyethanol. The colloids were prepared by simultaneous codeposition of metals and solvents at 77 K. The bimetallic films and solids were obtained by evaporation under vacuum at room temperature (r.t.) A fully chemical characterization of bimetallic films and solids was carried out by different techniques such as elemental analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy, conductivity and thermal analysis. In the IR spectra for all solvents, except for ketones, the common absorption bands appear indicating no alteration upon incorporation of metal particles. The carboxylic band disappearance in ketones may be due to some kind of interaction with metallic particle surfaces. Thermograms showed that bimetallic solids present a decomposition temperature over 400 degreesC. The electric conductivity studies indicated that our bimetallic solids are semiconductors. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.